Official NASCAR Homestead-Miami Championship Finale Weekend Thread

With all eyes set firmly on the United States for this weekend's F1 Grand Prix, I hope to see a few of our European friends join us regulars in having an All-American weekend. Switch from motor-sports to auto-racing, get into the spirit(s), and enjoy the final races of the NASCAR season with us.

So to get you up to speed and in the mood, I recommend turning up your speakers and opening the following link in a separate window as a musical accompaniment whilst you read through this here OP. LET'S DO THIS.

Miami Nights: The Ballad of Beavis Kawolski

Here we are then; the culmination of a madcap season. All three series going down to the wire, with incidents in Phoenix affecting all the major players. A season-long battle comes down to this...

Does this count? I'm sure Juan will get the beef out at his post-race Miami crib pool-party BBQ.The real beefs however, we'll have to wait and see. Does everyone play nice after last weekend's WWE style smack-down? Or will someone execute final revenge to right the wrongdoings of a season?Hey, wrongdunners? Don't f*ck with the leaders please. Does NASCAR let one have at one? Do they play hide-the-flag? Or will it be I got your cautions right here, boys and throw yellows for every missed gearchange off the re-start and hot-dog wrapper in the joint? Just to show they care and are paying attention.It all lies ahead.

#2-Brad Keselowski leads five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion #48-Jimmie Johnson by 20 points going into Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Keselowski clinches his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship with a finish of 15th or better; or 16th and at least one lap led; or 17th and the most laps led, even if Johnson wins and leads the most laps. All other drivers have been eliminated from championship consideration. (courtesy Jayski)

Jimmie's on the back foot. Will Five-Time make it six?

Or do we want Kawolski to drive into the sunset in one blazing fast last hurrah for Dodge?

If I had money, it'd be on BK. I believe he'll be a 3 or 4 time Champion by the time his career is over. He's good for NASCAR. Square head and all.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who leads by 20 points over second-place Elliott Sadler, and 25 points over third-place Austin Dillon, will clinch the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship with a finish of 16th or better; or 17th or better with at least one lap led; or 18th or better with most laps led at Homestead. In the owners championship battle, the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota guarantees a clinch of the title with a finish of 28th or better; or 29th or better with at least one lap led; or 30th or better with the most laps led. The #18 currently leads the #6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford by 33 points. (courtesy Jayski)

Hey. Wake up. It's kinda like that, isn't it? Certainly not the most entertaining of any Stock-Car series this year. The Top 5 has been set since pretty much June, and there's only been small jiggling at the bottom half of the Top 10. Overall, there was disappoint.

Ok, there is a little drama worth watching I guess. Sadler slipped further back after another Phoenix brainfart and is driving for RCR one final time.. Dillon The Elder and very probably Pop-Pop are hoping for a Stenhouse on Sadler disaster. Ask Scott Speed. Ricky ain't above it.Speaking of Stenhouse, I believe he'll take his second consecutive title, and the crowd will go mild...Bring on Buescher, Bayne and Pastrana in 2013 I say.

James Buescher has an 11-point lead over Timothy Peters heading into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale, and a 12-point lead over Ty Dillon. Buescher guarantees himself his first championship with a finish of 7th or better with no laps led; or 8th or better with one lap led; or 9th or better with the most laps led. The clinch scenarios for the NCWTS owners championship is the same, with Buescher's points-leading #31 leading Peters' #17 by 11 points. (courtesy Jayski)

Now we're talking!

For me some of the best racing in NASCAR this year. 15 different race winners in 21 races (how you like them apples, F1?) 8 different first-time series winners. Add to the fact that series' journeymen Hornaday and Bodine have experienced some seriously junk-ass luck, and not as many glory-hunting Cup drivers dominating this year, and we've had what's turned into a proper, focused battle of the young guns. As it should be.

Only 12 points separates the Top 3 and the Championship lead has changed numerous times over the last 8 weeks. Even Coulter (-29) and Kligerman (-37) are mathematically still in it. I'd be happy to see either one of the top 2 guys take the Title. Dillon The Younger is an obvious exception.

So who are your picks for each series? Wasn't that a sweet guitar solo?Got a special hex lined up?What will you be cooking/munching on/drinking?And most importantly....pants/no pants?It's nice to be back.

It's about time JJ48 lost two in a row. Unless Gordon or anyone else is up to shenanigans again and manages to catch Kez into the wall. Of course, because I just said these things, Kez is now hexed and everything that can go wrong will go wrong for him.

This is probably the first season when I've actually followed Nascar more closely and watched more than a single race or two. And I find myself in disagreement with various things... start-and-parkers, "have at it boys", retaliations on track and off track etc. Still, when there's racing, there's racing.

I just hope that anyone planning a retaliation is aware of where Johnson and Keselowski are. That would be really ****ed up if the championship was decided by one of the knuckleheads trying to even the score.

In addition to Power Alonso/Ferrari a couple years ago is further proof that it's not over. Obviously the big key is to not be too conservative and get stuck back in a situation where something could go wrong in the pack. All the lucky dogs and wavearounds make it that much easier to suddenly drop 25 spots if your problem happens late in the race.

Imagine if BK does have a problem and Bowyer finishes well ahead of Johnson, as the ultimate fallout from last weekend.....

There isn't the urgency to get to the front that Edwards and Stewart had last year being practically tied, but there might be a few drivers less willing to give BK a break given some of the past histories (Hamlin, Edwards, etc., also keep in mind some of these drivers are seeing this upstart step in and likely take the title after their own failures to close the deal).

Am I alone in thinking Jimmie still has a fairly good shot? Don't count the 48 out just yet. Everyone that types on a keyboard knows Shift happens.
I see a lot of parallels between the Chad/Jimmie combo and what they have at Penske with the #2.

Am I alone in thinking Jimmie still has a fairly good shot? Don't count the 48 out just yet. Everyone that types on a keyboard knows Shift happens.I see a lot of parallels between the Chad/Jimmie combo and what they have at Penske with the #2.

I think Jimmie definitely has a shot. Brad has a poor record in Homestead, so he may legitimately lose the championship on pace. Then again, Brad has stepped it up this year, so maybe past experience is not a good indicator.

Interesting note: this will be Penske's first NASCAR [Sprint/Winston Cup] title if Keselowski finishes this off. Started in 1972, stopped in 1977, then returned full-time and competitive in 1991 with Rusty Wallace (who came with personal backing from Miller, obviously Miller has stuck around).

Being from Virginia i gotta pull for Timothy Peters ( Danville ) in the Trucks and Elliott Sadler in the Nationwide series.

As far as Brad & Jimmy while i favor Brad a bit , it would make my happy if Grag Biffle wins at Homestead and that Brad & Jimmy have poor enough finishes in the race that under ther "classic" points format Greg would have been the champ .

You gotta wonder though if what happened to Will Power isnt in the back of the "Captain's" mind though